Exchange Diaries  

Bashu Aman | Mechanical Engineering

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Research Area: Design for Additive Manufacturing

What was the University and topic of research that was taken up by you during the FT?

This summer I did my foreign training at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, working on the project involving topological optimization study of electric car’s battery housing and checking its viability of fabrication using additive manufacturing processes. So, it's a mix of automobile and manufacturing. I worked on the intersection of these two.

Why is an FT important? How would one compare research in Indian universities and foreign universities?

I think that we need to know what extra things and what advancements in technologies are there abroad. So, FT in the third year, or fourth year for Dual Degree provides a good opportunity to those who want to explore more in the field. And it is also a form of experience to motivate those who want to do research and pursue Masters or Ph.D. later on. Since I've worked here, at IIT KGP with some professors and others outside also. So, I think that a major problem which arises here is that we are not getting enough motivation to work in our chosen field. You can freely discuss your problems there and if you don’t get any result out of any experiment, then it's still okay. But in India, they are more inclined towards results whereas, outside India, they are more inclined on the methods which you get to solve any problem.

FT vs corporate internship, what are all the things we are missing out on and what are we gaining more?

I think that FT is a better opportunity for students who want to go directly into Ph.D. or Masters. Some students first want to explore corporate life and then after one or two years go for higher studies. FT can give a sense of taste of what higher studies can be, and it can also help them decide their future career.

Should BTech students aspiring for higher studies from abroad opt for an FT?

Yes, for BTech students FT is a good opportunity. For BTech students, you get one chance, and for Dual Degree you get two chances one after the second and the other after the third year. For BTech, getting FT in the first and second years is hard but in the third year, they can. FT provides extra exposure compared to the Indian sample space. Also, you can get FTs by personal mailing.

What exactly is the application process for the FT? Are there any important documents one must keep?

It depends on the different programs the field might have. I got mine through India Connect@NTU You can also mail the professors under which you want to work. For India Connect, the program application process started in November and the deadline is more or less to the end of December. We get two months to submit our essays where we need to write our motivation, i.e., why we want to work there, and then we have to select the prospective supervisors under whom we want to do the internship. If they shortlist us, then either in February or March in the next year, you have a short discussion or interview. More or less results get declared in March but due to Covid it was delayed and declared in April. Documents needed were SOP, Resume, LOR and you have to truncate the Resume depending under which lab you are applying. Also, LOR plus SOP, these two things are the ones that can make or break your application.

How did the process get affected due to the online nature of the applications?

Okay, so the first thing that got affected due to the online nature is that it got a bit delayed. But since it has been one and a half years after Covid happened, the programs have modified their processes and they have now adapted to the new normal. Last year there was a problem in the application process as during the online semester, we did not have our results for that semester. Since we had to apply in November and December and it was required, at a later stage, they asked to mail the updated transcript.

Did you have to mail the professor personally for the project? For how much time did you wait for a reply?

I applied through programs mostly. I got selected into three programs India Connect, RIYA at Ohio State, and DAAD, so I am also doing a remote internship from the US and Germany. I also personally mailed some professors in the US. I got selected in some of them but due to lack of funding, and as one of the programs launched by IR Cell, i.e., IIT KGP Foundation USA Scholarship, which wasn’t announced last year, I wasn’t able to continue with cold emailing. So I went through the program way and am now working on these.

When should one start applying for an FT? How long did the procedure last till you got the desired FT?

First, you need to mail at an appropriate time in case of personal mailing, since there is a time zone difference between the two countries. Applying for an FT is a rigorous process, you need to at first work on different projects in the previous year of application so that you are well versed with the work which you are going to do in the next summer. Like I did a project in the lockdown period last year under a professor in IIT KGP and then the general trend is that in August or September, the application process of every program starts. So, in the Autumn Semester of our curriculum, the application process is going to start and it may last till January. I mailed thirty professors out of which I got three to four replies. I also followed up in the next week from whom I did not receive any reply at first instance. It may be the case that the mail went to spam or they didn't look to the mail at first. In general, for the case when they look at the mail, they reply within a week or two. And if it is more than two or three weeks and they still don’t reply after follow-ups, then it can be considered that they don’t want to consider you.

What is the role of CGPA in the selection process?

I think CGPA is only a sort of filter. So, for say you are above 9.4 or 9.3, then there is no comparison. The person with 9.7 and 9.3 are on the same scale. The main thing is SOPs, LORs, and how the lab’s work matches with your work. The numbers are just a benchmark to filter amongst a large pool of students. So try to keep it above average.

How did the pandemic affect your application for the project? Did the pandemic have any positive impact on the project?

In an offline semester, we get to discuss our prospective program and internships with our seniors. But in an online mode, it gets really hard to contact some seniors. So what we are missing in a pandemic is awareness about programs and then we should be extra cautious to choose the right programs, right lab, and right professor. Working on different projects simultaneously in various programs is a plus point in the pandemic.

Where should a student, who is unaware of the entire application process, look up information about professors and their research work for opportunities?

There are repositories on GitHub that a student can look for, also a list on MetaKGP is there, you can go to the professor’s website, lab site, and IR Cell also posts about updates each month in their Newsletter.

How should a first-year student prepare beforehand for his FT application in their subsequent year?

Going by the general trend, the first year is for exploration. If a student is inclined in a project then only, he should go for it. Go for an FT in your second or following senior years.

Does belonging to IITKGP provide any added benefits for getting your FT?

Yes, it surely provides an added benefit. In India Connect@NTU Program, I had to get a nomination from IR Cell and CDC, then my application went further. IIT KGP professors also work on various research areas. I got the opportunity to work under a professor and got to learn a lot and work on experiments. Lastly, the brand name of KGP certainly helps.